South Barwon MP Darren Cheeseman set to again miss parliament this week

Darren Cheeseman’s ongoing absence from parliament comes as Labor fails to respond to questions about whether an investigation will be conducted into allegations levelled at him.

South Barwon MP Darren Cheeseman remains on leave. Picture: Facebook.

Darren Cheeseman will again be missing from parliament this week as the South Barwon MP remains on sick leave after being booted from Labor following multiple allegations of “persistent, inappropriate behaviour” towards female staff.

The 47-year-old’s ongoing absence comes as Labor failed to respond to questions about whether an investigation would be conducted into the allegations and, if so, the time frame of that.

Premier Jacinta Allan previously said the allegations did not warrant police action, rather Mr Cheeseman was told to resign from the party “as a consequence of upholding the highest standards”.

Parliamentary Speaker Maree Edwards confirmed that Mr Cheeseman in late April – when the allegations emerged – applied for nine sitting days’ leave, which she approved.

Mr Cheeseman would therefore be expected to return to Spring St on June 18, assuming he does not extend his leave or resign from parliament altogether.

Every indication so far is that Mr Cheeseman will move to the crossbench.

Mr Cheeseman was conspicuously absent from last week’s announcement by Minister for Community Sport Minister Ros Spence regarding the government’s commitment to deliver sporting infrastructure promised to the region after it sensationally abandoned its 2026 Commonwealth Games bid last year.

Victorian Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence. Picture Yuri Kouzmin.

Ms Spence, a former Socialist Left factional ally of Mr Cheeseman, would not say whether Mr Cheeseman was invited to the event, as is the standard protocol for local MPs.

Mr Cheeseman briefly served last year as Parliamentary Secretary for Community Sport under Ms Spence who, unlike some of her colleagues, stopped short of calling for the South Barwon MP to leave parliament.

“It’s a matter for him … I don’t have a view,” she said last week.

“It’s up to him what he does.”

A Geelong Addy poll found an overwhelming 97 per cent of respondents favoured Mr Cheeseman resigning from parliament.

Such an outcome would force a by-election in a seat Labor won by just under 10 per cent in 2022.

Labor, however, would be loath for a by-election in the current environment.

A Resolve Strategic poll, published by The Age last week, found the party’s statewide primary vote at just 28 per cent, an 11 point drop since Ms Allan succeeded Dan Andrews as premier.

Furthermore, Mr Cheeseman’s promise in 2018 for a Torquay community hospital has not eventuated and there are fears it never will.

Treasurer Tim Pallas said the government was conducting “further service planning … to determine the optimal care models to best meet primary service needs in the community”.

The review will consider recent investments at other Barwon Health facilities, signalling a potential reduction in services provided in Torquay, if the hospital ever eventuates.

Originally published as South Barwon MP Darren Cheeseman set to again miss parliament this week